Binding on neck has a green hue

[Jack Allen]

Hi Everyone,

I have a near new Gibson acoustic and the binding on the neck is taking on a "Green Hue" to it.  Any suggestions on how to fix that or what would cause it.  I've tried taking photo's but it just doesn't show up  on the image like it does with the "Baby Blues" I have for eyes.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Jack Allen

[William F.Eden]

 The cause likely swet .Try some degreaser on it .Bill...........

[Jack Allen]

Thanks Bill,

I will try that.  I ALWAYS wipe down all the guitar with a Fender micro-fiber cloth (made by Meguires) and then the strings top & bottom sides with a GHS string cloth.  I don't sweat much and don't play any one guitar for much of a session.  Also, always wash my hands with a good soap & rinse prior to playing to get any oils off my fingers/hands that can work on Nitro.

Hope that cures it.  If that "ain't" it, any other things you or anyone can think of?

Jack Allen

[Paul Verticchio]

"I have a near new Gibson acoustic". There's your problem Jack. Finish issues are rampant among Gibson owners.

Other than that, I applaud your conscientious approach toward perfect guitar hygiene(-: I wish more of our customers would adopt your approach.

You can save yourself some $$$ in the future by simply using clean, dry cotton cloths (think old flannel shirts, flour-sack kitchen towels, well laundered cotton diapers....any cotton remnant in the ubiquitous rag bag) for your cleaning chores. The commercial "miracle cloth" offerings are just a step above snake oil when it comes to their effectiveness. In other words, they provide no additional beneficial properties when compared to common cotton fabrics.

To ease your mind, Nitro lac is not as delicate as some websites and 'know nothing' self-proclaimed experts preach. It needs to be cared about but it doesn't need to be overly pampered. Its durability & resiliency is testament as to why it's been the finish of choice for many, many decades. Enjoy more...worry less(-:

BTW: the changing of the color of the lac will not affect the playability or tone of the instrument.

"......any other things you or anyone can think of?" Yes, strip and refinish the neck with a better lacquer formulation. This too, is a common corrective procedure for Gibson's made since 2001.

Best of luck,
Paul (-:

[RETROROD]

Ouch! I am SOOOooooo glad that I am into vintage Gibsons and not new!

[Jack Allen]

Well, I don't believe for a minute that Gibson is having that much of a problem.  Are you sure you don't like Taylor or Martin guitars and just don't like Gibson?  :-)

NONE of my other newer Gibson's, all within 3 yrs old, have any problems with the finish or green tint on the neck binding (only the neck, the other binding is great).

Thanks for the info, but I don't feel it is a product wide issue that I've been able to see or hear about. 

Jack

[Paul Verticchio]

Since you "don't believe for a minute" what I say, I will not offer further assistance.

[Russell Vance]

Jack,
I don't normally comment about commercial issues, but in this case it's necessary. Gibson has had serious issues with their niitro finishes for some time now. I have personally seen a myriad of problems through their LP range (with which I have wide experience) and the "bleed" and absorption problems are very real, prevalent and expensive to repair as they are more than skin deep. The orange peel neck finishes on all breeds of LPs is a separate problem.

Anyway, he green is probably from your sweat or oil on your skin - the green stain often found around old frets is similar and comes from our grime (the copper component of our blood I'm advised). Red is the next dye group that Gibson seem to absorb really well from sweaty shirts (usually upper bout and lower bout where they come into contact with the shirt sleeves shirt front and tails. Care must be exercised in trying to remove this bleed as it goes many coats deep (depending on the length of exposure). I have had some success with shaving the lacquer with a micro scraper which allows more control than sanding. Buffing out the area with cutting compound is relatively ineffective.

Furthermore, Internal bleed often happens with the nitro stain/tint on Gibson backs bleeding (sometimes profusely) into the binding and from small pockets along the neck fingerboard junction. This bleed is post binding scrape so is a confirmed dye migration after the Guitar is final finished.

Jack, it is a problem and it is a very well know problem. The information that is offered on this professional/amateur forum is some of the best in the world and subject to wide and critical scruitiny from our peers. I would acknowledge that to Paul Verticchio who is assisting us in our gaining a better understanding of problems and issues both past and contemporary.

Regards,
Rusty.

[Pierre-Antoine Roiron]

the green stain often found around old fret

Don't you think it's more likely the copper component of the fret alloy (Most of it is copper, after all)?

[Thomas James]

Guessing ... I am thinking it may have been a one time issue: like ink on your hand or something? Have you had fretwork done on it lately. Some guys 'blue' the frets before leveling. Could be residue from that??

[Jack Allen]

Paul,

I didn't intend to sound insulting to your comment or you as it was "tongue 'n cheek" anyway.  After being around Gibson's, and lots of them, that have been made since 2001 I just meant I haven't been privy to a widespread issue with the lacquer finish they have had.  The green hue is a new experience to me.  I always see guitars take on a nice cream or yellow binding and it seems to be consistent neck & body.  Just AXING others that may have seen this green hue.  So in your opinion, the binding would need to be scraped and re-cleared as a fix? 

No work fret or otherwise has been done Thomas.

Thanks again for the input.

Jack

[Pierre-Antoine Roiron]

Statistically, I do see more varnish problem with Gibsons too. If the green hue can't be wiped away with naphta, then it's more or less inside the coats. It means you'll have to sand (more or less depending on where the hue lies), and make some touch-ups. Green can be fret sanding residues (fret is copper and tin and nickel), as copper turns green when oxydizing : see the old gold tops that turn greenish in distressed areas because of the bronze powder used for the gold effect into the varnish.

I don't think I can be of any more help without a picture, sadly.

[William F.Eden]

 Pierre I would have to tell you that any Gibson gold tops that I have striped were in fact painted with a coat of green under coat first.Bill............